---
title: Ava says, "Wee s, big deal." ("Wee" means small.) Why does it matter? — My family · tree and pragmatics
description: Ava says, "Wee s, big deal." ("Wee" means small.) Why does it matter? Test 1 of lesson 14 «My family» of the French course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was wrong.
---

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# Test 1 · My family

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ava says, "Wee s, big deal." ("Wee" means small.) Why does it matter?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Ava, Wee · **What happens:** say, mean, matter · **To what, where:** Wee, deal · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 of lesson 14 «My family» of the French course of Mova's primary school. The page gives the question's syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause, then the 4 options as the student saw them, each with its tree and pragmatics. Every text is parsed by Mova itself. How the student answered it, with the score of every option and why: [the test at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/french/14-my-family/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Ava says, "Wee s, big deal."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:14-my-family:t1:1
# text = Ava says, "Wee s, big deal."
1	Ava	Ava	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	Wee	wee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	s	's	PART	POS	Typo=Yes	5	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	deal	deal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Ava | Wee and big deal |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent wee=Topic |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* ("Wee" means small.)

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:14-my-family:t1:2
# text = ("Wee" means small.)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	Wee	wee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Wee |  |  |  |  | small *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* Why does it matter?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:14-my-family:t1:3
# text = Why does it matter?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
2	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	expl	_	_
4	matter	matter	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **matter** | present · do-support |  | deal |  |  |  |  | vn matter-91 «NP V»: agent=Stimulus |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The s changes the word into "sisters"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:14-my-family:t1:o1:1
# text = The s changes the word into "sisters"
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	s	s	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	changes	change	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	sisters	sister	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | present | the s | the word |  |  |  | into sisters *result* | vn turn-26.6.1-1 «NP V NP.patient PP.result»: agent=Agent word=Patient into sister=Result |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In writing, the plural needs the s even though you can't hear it

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:14-my-family:t1:o2:1
# text = In writing, the plural needs the s even though you can't hear it
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	plural	plural	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	needs	need	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	s	s	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	even	even	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
10	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
11	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
12	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	14	advmod	_	_
14	hear	hear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **need** | present | the plural | the s |  | writing |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot s=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **hear** | can | you | s |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer it=Stimulus |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Without the s it means one brother and one sister

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:14-my-family:t1:o3:1
# text = Without the s it means one brother and one sister
1	Without	without	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	s	s	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | s | one brother and one sister |  |  |  | without the s | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent brother=Topic |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It doesn't matter, French has no plural forms at all, not even in writing

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:14-my-family:t1:o4:1
# text = It doesn't matter, French has no plural forms at all, not even in writing
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	matter	matter	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	French	French	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
8	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	10	det	_	_
9	plural	plural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	forms	form	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
11	at	at	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
14	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	17	advmod	_	_
15	even	even	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **matter** | present · do-support | It |  |  | writing |  |  | vn matter-91 «NP V»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **have** | present | French | no plural forms |  | all |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent form=Patient |

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**Text:** the tests of Mova's primary school, written for Mova (`world/data/school/`), as the course runner gave them to the student. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each text read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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